This Is Love
by I-Love-Air
Summary: Bella is a gymnast. As are the rest of the gang. Except for Jacob, he HATES gymnasts. But yet...he is dating Bella. Bella notices changes in him though and doesn't like it. She gets closer to Edward as things get worse. ALL HUMAN/OOC may contain violence
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay…here we go. Some of you know that I had a story up but I deleted it because it really wasn't going anywhere and didn't have a plot or anything. THIS TIME, I have some better planning and some ideas floating around. It is still a little hazy but I don't want everything to be planned out exactly because that takes the fun out of it. ANYWAYS, I am hoping you enjoy this one and I am also hoping it is pretty unique. I personally haven't read a twilight fan fiction that involved gymnastics. But then again, there are zillions of fan fictions and I haven't read all of them. Either way, please let me know what you think of it.**** :) :)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT**

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Bella Swan. That's my name. I am a level 8 gymnast. I am 16 years old. I live on the west coast of Southern California. What else would you like to know? I have a boyfriend. Jacob Black. He is my age and we have been together for just under a year. Oh yeah, he HATES gymnasts. Why is he with me then, you ask? The answer – I have no freaking clue. I assume it's because I don't get into all the girlie, crappy, glittery stuff that most girls do. I guess you could say that I'm somewhat of a tom boy. But at the same time I still like to get all prettied up sometimes. I'm just not a girly girl. And that's partly because of gymnastics. It keeps you down to earth and disciplined. We have also been best friends since before I was a gymnast.

So, why all the hate towards gymnasts? I'm not really sure. Every time I ask Jake why he hates them he says 'just cause.' I know, descriptive right?

The gym, Pacific Coast Gymnastics, is basically where I spend most of my life. I wake up, go to school, then go straight to gym for 4 hours and then I go home and repeat the same routine. The only days I don't have gym are Sundays and Tuesdays. All the other days I have gymnastics from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Saturdays I get to wake up early to start practice at 9 and I don't get done until 1. That's my life for you.

I don't have a lot of friends at school. I know almost everyone but I wouldn't say I was friends with any of them except for my close knit group that I hang out with everyday. That consists of my boyfriend and my best friends Edward, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper. Alice is dating Jasper and Rosalie is with Emmett. We don't mind being….well….I guess you could call us outsiders, at school because it keeps us from getting involved in a lot of drama. Drama is annoying as hell. But even though we avoid it at school, we are usually stuck in the middle of it at gym. Oh…yeah….Alice, Rose, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett are also gymnasts. We all train together at the same gym which is why we also kind of group together at school. Alice and Rose are both level 8's like me and the guys are level 10's

We six have known each other since we started gym when we were little kids. We basically grew up together. When you're a dedicated gymnast, the people at the gym become like a giant family. We all watch as our peers grow up and coaches get married or have kids. Then when you quit you always come back to visit a lot. My closest relationships though are with my best friends.

Jacob is almost the complete opposite of us. He HATES gymnasts and has zillions of friends at school. He is really good looking and therefore, all the girls are after him. But he is all mine. You may be wondering how we ended up together if we are so different. Well, we have known each other since like preschool years. Our dads are best friends, especially since they both don't have wives anymore for the same reason. My mom left my dad when I was a baby as did Jake's mom. That's another reason I like Jake. We understand each other completely. But Jacob has changed a lot during our time in high school. He mostly hangs out with all the popular kids and doesn't even sit with me at lunch half the time. He is always somewhere else. I suppose we are growing distant. But it will probably get better again….we just need a little space.

Another question about Jake is why he is friends with my best friends because they are also gymnasts. I sometimes wonder if really does like them or just pretends to because they are my friends. He really doesn't talk to them all that much I guess. I don't really think he likes them.

Today I was going to the beach with all my friends and Jacob said he might meet us there. We had 2 weeks left of summer and I was going to make the most of them. I LIVE for summer. It's my favorite time of year. The only part that isn't always enjoyable is the heat at the gym. The gym, like most gymnastics centers, doesn't have air conditioning…or heating for that matter. So winters are brutally cold and summers are searing hot.

Since it was Sunday, the gym was closed and we weren't bound to a workout schedule. This meant I could sleep in as long as I wanted to. I woke up around 10:15 this morning to the sun shining through my second floor window. I got up and looked out to the horizon where the water met the sky. I lived right on the beach. It was practically in my backyard. This was great for me. I loved the beach and when I move out of my dad's house I plan to find my own house right on the beach as well.

The weather today was perfect for a nice long day at the beach, full of volleyball, tanning, surfing, and going on walks. The sun was shining bright and the sky was bluer than blue with only a couple puffy white clouds floating around.

I yawned and turned around to face my room. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my lime green bikini (my favorite color). I threw it on my bed and walked to the bathroom. I took a shower and then brushed my teeth and walked back to my room to put on my bikini. I walked over to my mirror and made sure everything was tied and in place. Then I went to my dresser again and picked out some jean shorts and a blue flannel to wear over my bikini. I also picked out my striped American Eagle tote bag and some white flip flops. **(A/N:Pic on profile.)**

I looked in the mirror one more time before grabbing my cell phone and my iPod and throwing them into my bag along with my camera, wallet, and lime green Wayfarers.

On my way down stairs I stopped at the hall cupboard to grab my favorite rainbow animal print towel. Then I walked downstairs and put my bag and shoes by the door. I slipped into the kitchen for some breakfast and saw my dad reading the newspaper and drinking some coffee.

"Gooooood morning Daddy" I said with a smile. And yes, I DO call my dad daddy even though I'm sixteen, okay? I don't care what the hell you think about it.

"Oh, hey there Bells." He said putting the paper down. He stood up and put his mug in the sink. I grabbed a bagel and popped it in the toaster then turned around to lean on the counter.

"I'm going to the beach with everyone today. I will probably be back in the evening. Unless we decide to have a bonfire. Is that okay dad?" I asked. He knew by "everyone" I meant my best friends. I go to the beach all the time with them and my dad is okay with it but I still feel it's important for me to ask permission every time, just in case.

"Yeah, of course. Just call me if you're going to have a bonfire so I know you will be there after dark." He said while grabbing his keys.

"I will, Dad. Where are you going today?" I asked noticing he was fully dressed and getting ready to leave.

"Billy and I are going down to boat show to check things out." Billy was Jacob's dad. He and my dad loved boats. They always go to all the boat shows in town. Sometimes I join them.

"Oh okay." I said grabbing my bagel from the toaster and putting cream cheese on it.

"I will see you tonight, okay darling?" He gave me a hug and kissed the top of my head.

"Alright. Bye Dad. Love you." I waited for him to say I love you back and then sat down at the table.

The front door clicked shut and I heard my dad lock the door. I turned to the sports section of the newspaper. Nothing about gymnastics, typical. Very rarely do they have articles about gymnastics. It's usually just whatever gyms decide to send in like meet results or pictures or whatever. Then sometimes after a large national or international meet they will have a short article about it. Not much was going on in the gymnastics world at this time. Next month things would get going though.

After finishing my bagel, I washed my plate and put it back in the cupboard as well as my dad's mug. Then I grabbed my keys off the counter. I didn't need to drive to the beach because it was in walking distance but I always take my keys with me so I can get into the house and possibly grab my car if I need to.

After locking the front door, I walked around to the garage and grabbed my surfboard and rash guard. I texted my friends making sure they knew to meet at our usual spot and started walking towards the beach. Within a few short minutes everyone had texted back letting me know they were only a few minutes away. I arrived at our spot near lifeguard tower 7. I set my board down with my rash guard lying on top and spread my towel in the sand. I put my bag down next to it and yelled up at the lifeguard tower.

"Hey Erik! You up there?!" Erik was a lifeguard here at Moonlight Beach. I had gotten to know him over the past couple years. He was in college already and he was on duty at the beach most of the time. He loved his job. My friends and I really liked him a lot. He was very protective of us and when he was off duty he would hang out with us a lot.

Erik walked out of the room up in the tower and leaned over the edge of the railing.

"Hey Bella!" He yelled jokingly, mocking me for yelling his name a few seconds ago.

"What's up today? Good surf?" I asked.

"It's pretty good. And the weather is perfect. It will be a good day." He said squinting and looking out to the water.

"Are you on duty all day?" Sometimes he would offer to work the entire day with a couple other guys.

"Nah, Just till 4." He said with a small smile.

"Pff. That's practically all day. But we are probably staying till dark and having a bonfire. Do you want join us after your done working?"

"Yeah, sure. Sounds fun. Wait…one condition." Oh boy. Erik could come up with some pretty crazy things sometimes, so I was a little worried.

"Oh boy. Let's hear it, son."

"You guys BETTER have s'mores!" He said with a completely serious face.

"Really Erik? What's a bonfire without s'mores?? Do you really have that little faith in us?" I tried to keep a straight face but started snickering.

"Okay good. Then I will see you guys later." He said laughing

"Kay cool." Erik walked back into his little cave up in the tower and I sat down on my towel.

Not even a minute later I felt a poke in my side that me jump and squeal because it tickled. I looked up to see Emmett chuckling and all my other friends laughing too.

I pretended to be hurt and stuck out my bottom lip. "You guys are so mean to me." I said with a whiney voice.

"Aaaww we're sorry." Alice said hugging my shoulders.

"Yeah yeah. We are all very sorry. Now help us set up all this crap." Rose said as she dropped a chair down in the sand for me to set up.

We laid out everyone's towels and set up chairs and an umbrella. We put a cooler filled with ice and soda under the shade of the umbrella and then we each grabbed a coke. I took off my flannel and shorts and threw them into my bag before putting on my sunglasses and lying down on my towel.

We all chatted about different things. Mostly we talked about the upcoming competition season and how we hoped having fewer classes this school year would make life less stressful. The girls and I needed to do well this season if we wanted to make it to level 9 next year. The guys were stressing because this would be the first time they competed as level 10s.

After a little while I wondered if Jake would be coming so I grabbed my phone to check if he had called or texted. He hadn't. So I decided to call him.

I listened to the phone ring and ring and ring. He didn't pick up so I left a message asking him if he was coming and to call me back with the answer. He KNEW we were here. I know he didn't forget. He just probably didn't want to come. High school has changed Jake a lot. It makes me sad.

"Is he coming Bella?" Alice asked.

"I don't know. He didn't pick up." I answered.

"He hardly ever answers when you call him anymore." Alice observed. She was right. He hardly ever picks up and hardly ever texts me back. In fact, we barely even talk at school. I wonder what's up with him lately.

"Yeah. It's weird. Maybe he just wants some space." I gazed out into the ocean, deep in thought.

Maybe it was me. I probably did something and he is hurt now. Or maybe I pushed him away.

"Bells, want some chips?" Edward called to me.

"Nah. Not right now. I think I'm gonna go for a surf." I said standing up. I pulled on my rash guard and threw my phone and sunglasses into my bag.

"Oh sweet. I will come with you."Edward said getting up as well.

Good, I thought. I needed him. He would make me feel better. He always does.

We started walking down the beach to the surf zone. There were always a lot of people at this beach so they divided it into surf zones and swim zones. While we walked Edward asked me where Jake was. I explained the phone call to him and how I knew that Jacob hadn't forgotten.

"He doesn't talk to you much anymore huh?" Edward said looking out to the flag that indicated where the surf zone was.

"Yes he does. Well….kinda….I guess not. He seems to talk to me only a little bit in between classes and when we go out." I said, sort of sad. I really liked Jake. We had been through so much together. I was always there for him and he was always there for me whenever I needed him. He was my best friend and I thought for a while that maybe I even….

"Yeah, when WAS the last time you went out anyway?" Edward asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Ummm…." I honestly didn't know. Sure we had hung out, but only with other friends, usually his. Not alone. And even then he was always coming late or leaving early.

"You can't remember can you?" Edward was trying to make some kind of a point. I could tell by the way he was carrying the conversation.

"Honestly, no. We keep on trying to plan a date. But he doesn't ever have time anymore. And this time the reason isn't even because of my workout schedule for gym. HE is always busy with friends or doing something else." I was starting to realize that it wasn't even like we were dating anymore.

"Weird. It's almost like you guys aren't really dating anymore. He treats the relationship like it's just a friendship." Edward voiced my thoughts.

"Yeah, I know." I said quietly.

"He changed a lot when high school started. It really turned his personality around. He isn't the good guy he used to be." Edward said while we slowly waded out into the ocean water.

The water was a pretty fair temperature. Not warm but it wasn't unbearably cold. It was perfect.

"I know. He really is different. I was just thinking about how much he changed. He only cares about being popular now. Or at least that's what it seems like." I said with a heavy sigh.

Edwards and I climbed up onto our boards and started paddling further out. We were waiting for a wave to come because the wind had calmed down for a few minutes.

"You know, he told me he wants to join the football team this year. I don't have anything against the team or football. But I remember last year when Jake would make fun of those guys for being obnoxious jocks and stuff. Now he wants to be one of them." I looked at Edward and he looked down at his board.

"You know Bella, I'm kinda worried about this. I don't like the direction he is going in. I don't want you to get hurt." He had a point. I was already hurt though.

"Your right. He is not even interested in me anymore. Why should I waste my time with someone who doesn't care about me anymore?" I finished my sentence right as huge wave came. We surfed it in and then waded back into deeper water.

"Well Bella, the choice is yours. I think he needs to get his act together. Otherwise, he doesn't deserve you. But, if you feel you still want to be with him then don't let me or anyone else influence your decision." Edward continued our conversation.

"I really don't know if I want to be with him though. That's the deal right now. He doesn't make me feel as good as he used to. I feel like I'm in his way or like I'm a burden to him." I said realizing my actual feelings towards Jake.

I remembered when we first started going out. We were really into each other and we always were together. It was amazing to be with him. But the past few months haven't been as great. Especially since Jake has become more popular at school. He has developed an 'I'm better than you' attitude. I hated it.

"That's definitely not right Bells. That is horrible in fact. No one should be with somebody that makes them feel that way. You need to be treated like amazing and wonderful person you are. You don't need someone tearing you down or making you feel bad." Edward said looking at me with eyes that shined with the true purity of his heart.

"You know what, Edward? You are absolutely right! I DO NOT need him. I have felt miserable every time I'm with him for the past few months. And I DO NOT want that to continue. I want someone who will treat me right. NOT like a burden or an annoyance. Tomorrow I'm making him meet up with me and I'm ending it." I said like I was giving a big, empowering speech to an audience cheering me on.

Edward smiled a huge smile. "Good for you Bella. I think you will be a lot happier. I really do." He gave paddled over to me and gave me a big hug.

I really loved Edward. As a friend, just like I loved my other best friends. They were all like family to me. And they help me so much. Edward really helped me realize that I don't need Jake anymore. He changed and I don't like it so I shouldn't be with him.

I gave Edward a HUGE thank you and a hug and then we continued to surf for a while.

After we got tired we walked back to the others and laid down on our towels. I checked my phone to make sure I didn't have any missed calls or texts.

I had one missed call. It was from Jake and it was about 2 minutes ago. I decided to call him back. He picked up after a few seconds of waiting.

"Hey Bella." Jake said. His tone of voice had even changed. He also talked with a macho tone like he was some big shot. I really noticed it now that I was letting go of him and it really annoyed me.

"Hi. So are you comin down here today?" I kind of hoped he wasn't. I didn't really wanna have to deal with him. I was having a great time without him.

"Ahhh….well I'm….a little busy right now. But maybe later. How late are you guys staying?" Jake asked me.

"We are most likely staying until 10 or 11 because we're gonna have a bonfire." I was annoyed with him but I still had this tugging feeling at my heart. I did still like him. But the old him….not the new one.

"Okay. I might meet you around evening then. I will probably bring some friends along too."

I didn't know how everyone else would feel if Jake brought his snobby, annoying friends along. But I double checked with the others and they said we will find a way to deal with it.

The rest of the day at the beach was awesome and I had a great time and I was feeling great.

The sun was setting and I was sitting with Edward and watching the sky while the others got the bonfire stuff. We decided to stay back and make sure no one took our stuff or our fire pit.

I was lost in thought when I noticed out of my peripheral that Edward was staring at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"Oh nothing. Sorry." He laughed nervously.

"Do I have something on my face or something man?" I asked laughing.

"No, no. Your beautiful." He said completely serious. His eyes were dark and full of some emotion I didn't recognize.

I blushed and looked away. "Uuumm….thanks…I guess." I laughed awkwardly.

He finally looked away. I glanced at him. Edward had always given me butterflies. Ever since we were little. And he was always good looking. It only got better through the years. But I knew he basically looked at me as his sister and I looked at him as a brother. I was totally fine with that. It was the way things were supposed to be.

The others got back and we started up the fire and moved our chairs and towels around it. It was such a beautiful night. I hoped Jacob wouldn't show up to ruin it for me. I don't wanna feel miserable right now…..

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**A/N: Okay. This probably sucked. It was hard to keep things reined in since I haven't written in a while. I wanted to explain everything but I basically just babbled. I'm sorry. But the basic info is out there and we are good now haha. So I will try not to babble so much anymore. Please be brutally honest and tell me what you think. Thanks :) :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: So the last chapter wasn't so great. This one should hopefully be better since I got the story moving now. It will be less nonsense talking and more action…..hopefully haha. We will see how this goes. :) :)**

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Last night had been a lot of fun. The whole day was really fun. Jacob ended up coming an hour or so after the sun had set. He brought along a few jerks from the football team and a couple cheerleaders tagged along. They were hanging all over Jake and the other football guys. It was ssooo annoying and gross. But my friends and I mostly tried to ignore it and have fun with Erik.

Things were pretty great except Jake kept treating me like his maid. I had to get him and his friends sodas and snacks the entire time. Eventually Rose asked me why I was doing that for him. I realized I was letting him walk all over me. So I made him get his own stuff after that. But then he got mad at me and wouldn't talk to me. I just ignored him.

This morning I woke up around 9:30 and got some breakfast while thinking about how I was going to break up with Jacob. I decided to call him and ask him to meet me. He of course didn't answer. Either he was still mad at me or he just decided not to answer it like always.

Fine, I will just go to his house.

I walked sleepily back up the stairs and took a shower. It was nice and sunny out so I put on some comfy shorts and my Coca- Cola shirt. I also grabbed my red flip flops and put my hair in a messy bun since it was still wet and I didn't feel like blow drying it or straightening it at the moment. **(Pic on profile)** I put on some eyeliner and mascara and decided I needed to stop procrastinating and get this over with. I threw all my stuff into my Mad Hatter tote bag and put my aviators on my head.

I walked downstairs and grabbed my keys on the way out the door. My dad's a police officer and has work really early. I jumped in my car and turned down the radio. I wasn't in the mood for music at the moment.

When I got to Jake's house I knocked on the door and Billy answered.

"Oh hey Bella. Jake's in his room." He said smiling. He didn't seem to notice the changes in Jake.

"Hi Billy. Thanks." I said and walked down the hall to Jacob's room.

His door was open and he was on his computer so I slowly walked in and said "Hey Jake."

"Bella!" Jake said standing up and giving me a big hug. Whoa, that hadn't happened in a while. He hasn't been excited to see me in at least a month or two.

"Umm hey Jake." I said a little confused. This was how things used to be. I missed this. So I savored the moment and hugged him tighter.

"Mmmm…I missed you babe." WHAT?!!! THAT DEFINITELY hasn't happened in a looonnnggg time. He never says he misses me anymore. This was really weird.

"You did? Really?" I looked at him funny because I wasn't sure what was going on.

"Of course I did. I always miss you." Uuuhh….what? No you don't.

"You…don't really seem like you do. And you never tell me you do." I said

"I know Bella. I have been horrible lately. I treat you like shit. It's not fair of me. You do everything right and you're always by my side. I should be better to you. I'm extremely sorry." WHOA…WHOA…WHOA!!! HOLD UP!!

What in the HELL was going on??!! This is NOT normal. At least not anymore it isn't.

"Jake…I….wait….what? Why do you treat me like that then?" I really was confused now.

"I don't know. I just have been focused on other things I guess. It just sort of happened. It just gradually kept getting worse. I should have noticed sooner. I'm so sorry." He looked sincere. But he hasn't been sincere to me in a while.

"But if you want me and you care about me then how could you not see that you were hurting me?"

"I just….really wasn't focused on you. That sounds horrible but it's true. I have been horrible. And it's been hard not being with you as much anymore. I'm always somewhere else." He said

"Well I'm always here Jake. You're always the one who is doing other things and hanging out with other people. I always wait around for you and you just keep leaving me hanging." I started tearing up slightly at the end but wiped away any tears before they could start.

"I just….I am gonna be joining the football team and I'm really focused on that. And I have just been hanging out with the football guys to get to know them better before school starts. So I have been busy with that." He said.

"That's just it Jake. You are ALWAYS with them. You NEVER have time for me anymore. And….I thought you hated those guys. Last year you were making fun of them for being annoying and egotistical and now you're one of them. I don't like it." I said hoping he would get it.

"I know but…….they aren't all that bad. You just have to get to know them. They are good guys. And I wanna get to know them and become friends with them because I will be joining the team. And it's hard being the only outsider in a team when everyone else is friends." I see his point but he wasn't seeing MY point.

"Okay Jake. I get that. But they AREN'T good guys. They are mean. And they are changing you. You're so different. You're annoying and you neglect me and you insult people a lot. You –" Jacob cut me off.

"It's only when I'm with them. Just to make them think I am that way so I fit in." Jake defended.

"HA! No Jake. You are like that all the time now. And even if you weren't you shouldn't be that way EVER. You don't need to be like that. If that's what it takes to fit in….then I would rather not fit in. What you're doing is so…stupid. You didn't used to care about fitting in or being popular." I was getting angry. He was being so stupid about all of this.

"Bella. You're right. I shouldn't do that. But I will stop. I promise. I don't want you to leave me over something this retarded. It's shallow of me to wanna be popular. That's stupid, you're right." Was he being serious? Or just lying to get me to stop being upset with him?

"I don't know if I even believe anything you say anymore Jake. You have broken so many promises these last few months. I don't trust you." I really didn't.

"You shouldn't Bella. You have no reason to trust me right now. But I'm going to gain your trust back. Starting today I'm going to be better than ever. Just please…please give me another chance." I came here to break up with him. But now….I'm not sure what to do.

"Jake," I said with a huge sigh. "I came here today to break up with you. But now after hearing all this. I don't know what to do. I wanna give you a chance but I don't want it to be wasted." He looked hurt when he heard I was planning to break up with him.

"It won't be wasted Bells. I swear." He grabbed my hand and held it between both of his. "I promise I will make this up to you. I will be perfect. I need you." I wasn't sure what to do.

"Jacob. I want to believe you, I do. Really. But I don't. So just…give me a little time to think this over. Then I will let you know the second I decide. I promise."

He looked really disappointed. But I reminded myself that he had disappointed me hundreds of times so I wouldn't let him get to me.

"Okay Bella. I understand. Thank you for at least considering it. I will prove myself to you." He gave me a hug and kissed the top of my head.

"Okay Jake. I'm gonna go now. I will call you later." I said turning to leave.

"Alright Bells. I will be waiting." He said holding up his phone and giving me a half smile.

I smiled back and then left.

I drove home and spent some time laying around and relaxing and thinking a lot about what Jake had said. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was so lost and confused.

I thought I had made a decision by the time I had to get ready for gym. But I decided to also discuss things with my friends first before making a final decision. I wanted to see what their opinions were so that I got a bigger perspective on things.

Since the gym was sure to be hot today, I opted to wear just a sports bra and a pair of shorts instead of a full leotard. I picked out my green Nike sports bra and my black pair of gym shorts. I threw my hair up into a ponytail and clipped up any loose hairs. I put an old meet shirt on over the sports bra.

I put on some flip flops and made sure I had everything I needed in my bag. I grabbed my keys and jumped in my car.

On the way there I started thinking about Jake…..AGAIN! Did I still want to be with him? Was it time to move on? What were my feelings for him? Was he being honest? My mind was racing. I had no idea what I should do. I tried weighing the pros and cons of being with Jake but I couldn't even focus on that for more than 5 seconds. I decided to just relax and listen to music. I put my iPod on shuffle and plugged it into my car so it played through the car's speakers.

Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift came on first. I sang along and it made me feel like I shouldn't give Jake another chance. That I deserved better and I should move on. Then a couple love songs came on and I started second guessing my first thoughts. This was ridiculous. I was so confused. Hopefully my friends could help.

I got to the gym and parked my car and unplugged my iPod and threw it in my bag. I walked into the gym. I went and put my stuff into my cubby. All the team girls get little cubbies to keep our stuff in.

I saw my Alice and Rose sitting on one of the mats and I went over to talk to them. We had about 15 minutes before practice started.

"Hey Bella." Alice said, semi-cautiously.

"Hey guys."

"Sssooo….did you talk to Jacob?" Rosalie questioned.

"Ooohh yeaahhh." I said raising my eyebrows.

"And??" Alice asked.

"Well…" I trailed off. I knew they wanted me to just dump him because he was treating me like crap.

"She didn't break up with him." Rose said looking towards Alice with an "I figured as much" look.

"BBEELLAAA!!" Alice whined.

"I'm sorryyyyy. But he….we talked for awhile. And I'm really confused now. I don't know what to do." I whined back.

"Well what exactly happened?"Alice asked and Rose looked at me expectantly.

I explained everything to them and got done with only about 2 minutes to spare before practice started. They understood why I was confused.

"So…what do you guys think I should do? I know it's not your decision to make. I have to make it on my own. But I just need some advice." I said, hopeful.

"This is a toughie." Alice said. Her face was scrunched up into a frown that told me she was thinking very hard.

"Yeah……I know." I said sarcastically.

Right then we were called by one of our coaches to start running laps to warm up. After running, it was time to stretch. While, we were stretching I saw the guys walk in. My eyes immediately locked on Edward and KNEW I wanted and needed to talk to him. He was going to help me the most in this situation.

I looked over to Alice and saw her still in deep thought. Rose was staring off in to space. I looked down at the ground and continued stretching. I was getting really anxious though. I needed to talk to Edward but I wouldn't be able to until after gym was over. GGRRR.

Workout went well. I made a lot of progress and I was starting to feel confident about the upcoming season. On beam, while we were waiting in line Alice told me that she decided I should at least give Jake a chance since he had been such a great guy for so long.

"High school can be a lot of pressure. You can't blame the guy for struggling a bit." She had said to me.

She did have a point. High school is a tough place. People always make of light of it and say "oh…it's just teenage drama….high school isn't that bad." But in reality. It is THAT BAD. If only because of the mean kids. It's hard for some people, especially if they don't fit in. Teenagers aren't afraid to laugh in your face and make fun of you and make you feel like a worthless piece of crap. That's where the pressure to fit in comes from.

But me…I'm happy being on the outside. There is less drama. And usually the "cool" annoying kids stay away from me because I'm not following after them and they don't want to be caught dead with an outsider. Whatever…I'm happy with where I'm at.

Anyways…Alice had a really good point and it was something to consider before making my final decision.

Rose told me during bar rotation that she thought Jacob might be better off as just a friend. She thinks we both need some space to "find ourselves."

"We are all at the point in our life where we are figuring things out. We are figuring out who we are, where we are at, where we want to go, what we want for ourselves and our lives. I think you both just need some time apart to sort things out. You can always get back together after that." Rose had told me.

Yeah…leave it to the blonde to get all deep and sentimental. HA. But I also saw her point and I knew she was right. We did need some space. But I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I was almost afraid of making a decision. What if I make the wrong decision and I have to live with a huge mistake? Things change so quickly and I won't be able to back the past.

I really needed to talk to Edward. I kept glancing over at him all of workout. He caught my glances a couple times and I guess he could tell by my face that something wasn't right with me. He would give me questioning looks and I would just return them with my own exasperated looks. I was overwhelmed right now with different emotions. I needed it to be sorted out.

I was really glad school hadn't started yet. If I would have had to deal with school work, gym, an upcoming meet season, AND all this emotional drama, I think I would have to be hospitalized. Normally drama like this is really easy for me to handle. But this was just such a big deal. It was making my head spin.

Finally workout ended at 8:30 and I sprinted over to where Edward was getting his things together.

"EDWARD. I NEED to talk to you. Please?" I practically begged even though I didn't need to.

"WHOA! Jeeze Bella. Calm down. Of course you can talk to me." Edward said laughing.

"It's about Jake….I didn't break up with him. Or well, not yet at least. I don't know what I should do. I'm really confused. He made things really hard. I am worried about making the wrong decision. I'm just….ggrr…." I said all in one breath.

Edward looked at me with wide eyes. He was trying to take in everything I just said. Once he deciphered it, he took a deep breath.

"Okay Bella." Edward held on to my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "Slow down. And explain the whole story to me. I need to understand where all this is coming from."

We moved out to the parking lot to have more privacy and also so that the owner could lock up the gym.

I explained the whole thing to Edward.

"Alright. Well what does your heart tell you?" Edward asked me after I finished my story.

"It…can't make up its mind." We both laughed a little.

"Well…I think you should give him another chance. Give it…let's say….a month? Then decide if things are better or what. How about that?" Edward suggested.

"Hmm…okay. I will think about it a little more and tell Jake tomorrow morning at school what my decision is." I figured that was a good idea.

"Okay…good. I hope things get better Bella. You deserve an amazing guy. You really do. You're an amazing girl. So it's only fair." I smiled and hid my face at his words. Edward was so sweet.

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**A/N: Okay. Chapter 2. Sorry it took so long. Let me know if you have any questions. Sometimes I can make things confusing. But I hope this chapter is better. What do YOU think Bella's decision should be? Let me know. I have already decided. But tell me what you think you would do. :) :) :) :) Soo…I think that's all I have to say. And I will try to get the next chapter up next weekend. I'm in the desert all next week for spring break so that should give me plenty of time to write. But I wont have any internet so I can't upload till I get back. Soo yeah. :) :) REVIEW please :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A/N: Here we are…chapter 3. I'm hoping you guys are liking the way things are going, BUT, I will never know for sure unless you REVIEW!!! Haha….just kidding…but seriously. I wanna know what you guys think. PLEASE :) :) It's very helpful. But anyways…here is the story. OH and you can find pictures of outfits and stuff on my profile. :) OH…one more thing. I said Bella would tell Jake her decision at school. But its still summer…they don't have school yet. What I FORGOT to mention was that they had orientation for the upcoming school year. So they are gonna be at school for that which is what Bella meant. So yeah…sorry about that. :/ OKAY…now read haha…**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS.**

_Betrayed but not gonna be willing to change__  
__Cu-cu-cu-cuz you know...___

_It's sacrifice__  
__False pretense you'll hurt again__  
__Stop pretending to deny__  
__False pretense you'll hurt again_

"UGGHH" I moaned as my alarm went off. It was 8:00. Not the time I wanted to get up at during my last couple weeks of summer vacation. BUT…today was orientation for the new school year. Oh so fun. I had to go get my schedule and my books and whatever else I needed.

I felt around on my iHome with my eyes shut trying to turn off the alarm. A few seconds later I finally got it shut off. I pushed my head face down into my pillow and groaned. Stupid school.

I hated this day. It was the official sign of summer ending and school beginning. NOT what I was exactly waiting for. I was going to be a senior this year along with Edward, Jacob, Alice, and Jasper. Rose and Emmett graduated last year and were both going to community college right now because of gymnastics. They were also waiting for the rest of us to graduate so that we could all go away to a bigger college together. I know…they are such sweeties.

After laying in bed for a few minutes I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. I had to be there at 9:30 and my school was about 20 minutes away. So I showered quickly and got out and grabbed some clothes.

I picked out some torn American Eagle skinny jeans that were mended from the inside with patches. I also put on my rolling stones shirt and black converse. I dug out the backpack I had bought a week or so ago and threw all my things into it. I would need it later to carry my books home. I let my hair air dry and let it be tousled and a little messy. I was too lazy to straighten it this morning. I also stuck my Ray-Ban Wayfarers on my head.

I checked over myself and my stuff to make sure I remembered everything. I brushed my teeth then headed downstairs. My dad had already gone to work so I was all by myself.

I wasn't really hungry so I just poured myself a coke and drank it slowly as I looked through my phone for any new messages. I had one from Edward asking me if I was going to orientation and one from Alice asking me about my decision about Jake.

I had almost forgotten…I had to talk to Jake today. I was almost positive I would see him at school. There was no way to get around it or put it off any longer. I had to do it. But the problem was….I still wasn't sure about what I wanted to do. I replied to Edward's text telling him that yes I was going and I would meet him and the other there. I decided to let Alice's message go and not answer it.

After finishing my coke I had a few minutes left to spare so I grabbed my keys and headed leisurely out the door. There was no need to rush since I was ahead of schedule. I put my backpack in the passenger seat and started the car.

On the way to school I passed by Edward's house and he and Alice were standing outside, about to get into Edward's car. He noticed me and ran to the sidewalk and jokingly stuck out his thumb like a hitchhiker. I pulled to the side of the street right in front of him.

"Well, don't you look like a regular hitchhiking serial killer." I said as rolled down my window.

"Oh hush. We were just about to head out. I hate orientation." Edward said rolling his eyes.

"Me too. It's just another reminder that summer is about to end. I can give you guys a ride if you want. You guys could save some gas….you know….help the environment and all. Global warming and whatnot." I said with a grin.

"Yeah…why not." Edward turned around and called to Alice who was just watching us from the driveway.

I moved my back pack so Edward could sit in the passenger seat and Alice sat in the back.

"How come I always have to sit in the back?" Alice complained.

"Oh Alice," Edward began, "You know you have to be over 4 feet to ride in front seat of a car."

Alice kicked the back of Edward's seat for making fun of her size. Me and Edward just laughed.

"Hey hey hey now! Watch the leather. I don't want footprints all over my seats." I said pointing at Alice.

We silent for a few minutes after that. Just listening to the music that was low in the background. Until ALICE of course had to bring up the Jake issue.

"So have you decided about Jacob yet?" Alice said looking out the window.

"Ugghh….not really. But I will be telling him my decision at school today." I scrunched my face in anticipation of Alice's sure to come outburst.

"WHAT?!! You haven't decided yet and your gonna tell him your decision anyway?!! So are you just gonna lie or what?" Alice said flailing her arms around the car.

"I'm not gonna lie. Jeeze Alice, calm yourself." I said frowning at her in the rear view mirror.

"Well….then what??" Alice looked back at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked back.

"What are you going to tell him?!!" Alice half-yelled.

"I'm just….gonna…see how I feel at the moment I guess." I shrugged my shoulders. Alice didn't look very happy.

"So you haven't decided at all? Not even a little bit?" Alice questioned.

"I have thought about it. I really did. I just…haven't decided for sure. I'm leaning towards giving him another chance. But I think….I think I'm just afraid of making a concrete decision. I don't wanna mess up." I said honestly.

"You can't be afraid of that. Everyone has to make decisions and everyone has to make mistakes at some point or another. But you can only learn from these mistakes. And plus…this isn't a life threatening decision. If you give him another chance you can always break it off later if things don't work out." Edward said after being silent during Alice's outbursts.

I looked straight at him for a second and then turned my eyes back to the road. He was right. I could always change my mind later. Giving him one more chance wouldn't hurt.

"Thanks….I think…I have made a decision. I will give him another chance but if things don't get better then I will break it off then." I sounded sure of myself. Which was good because I didn't quite FEEL entirely sure of myself.

"Good. That's a good plan." Alice said.

"I agree." Edward said with a smile.

A few minutes later we pulled into the school parking lot. We walked together to the auditorium where orientation would be starting. We found seats and saved one for jasper who arrived a couple minutes later.

The principle came on stage and welcomed us and gave us instructions on where to get our books and schedules and things. After he was done everyone got up and went to find where they needed to get their items.

I finished getting all my books and put them in my backpack. I then went to grab my schedule and other information I needed for the year. On my way there I ran into a couple of people I had actually made friends with outside of my little group. Angela, Mike, and Jessica. Mike and Jessica had been dating since sophomore year and had an on again, off again relationship. Angela had a thing for Erik, the lifeguard down at the beach, but so far they were just good friends even though everyone knew they liked each other. I figured it wouldn't be long now before they figured it out themselves.

We chatted a little bit before I excused myself to get the rest of my things that I needed. Afterwards I walked back over to them and we compared schedules. As we were discussing teachers and classes, I realized that I hadn't yet seen Jacob. He said he would be here. But then again, it wouldn't be the first time he had lied.

"Have you guys seen Jake anywhere?" I asked Mike, Jessica, and Angela.

"I think he is over there. But I'm not positive." Mike said pointing to a circle of jocks and cheerleaders in one corner of the auditorium.

Ugghhh, I thought to myself.

"Thanks Mike. I will see you guys later. Bye." I said faking a smile and sighing internally. I really didn't wanna go over there. I hated those people.

Half way over there I stopped. No, I thought to myself, I am NOT going over there. Jake promised he would change. And starting now he had to prove himself to me. If he really wanted to hear my decision he would come find me. I wasn't going to hunt him down. He wants me, he knows what he has to do.

I searched the group of kids for a few seconds longer to see if Jake was even there. I caught sight of his black, spiked hair for a millisecond before I lost him again and turned around to find Edward.

I waited around the rest of orientation for Jacob to come find me. He never did. I was already rethinking my decision. I was actually angry. I was hoping he was going to change. I really was. I cared about Jake and I missed the way he used to be.

Edward left me for awhile to talk to a few of his other friends. When he came back he noticed I wasn't very happy.

"Hey Bells, you okay? You look upset." I looked straight into his eyes.

"No. I am NOT okay. He is SUCH a LIAR. He promised me he would change. He hasn't even TRIED to find me. I shouldn't always have to run after him. If he wants to hear my decision then he can damn well find me. But no, he is attached to his group of annoying, superficial, jerks." My eyes were starting to water which pissed me off even more. I didn't want to cry. Not over him. I have cried over him way too many times.

"Your right. He is already blowing it. He doesn't realize what he has." Edward said hugging me.

"I'm starting to rethink my decision. But then again, it takes time to change habits, especially bad ones. Maybe I should tough it out and give him a little time." I wasn't sure if that was really what I WANTED to do, but it was probably what I SHOULD do.

"It's your decision Bella. Do what you feel is right. But you don't deserve to be hurt. So if things don't change, please, don't keep putting yourself through this. You deserve to be happy." Edward said, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Thanks Edward." I smiled at him. He was amazing….always there for me.

"No problem Bells, just stating the truth. You ready to go? Things are pretty much over."

"Yeah, sure. Let's grab Alice and get out of here. I don't need to spend any more time at school than what's required."

Edward laughed at my statement about school. He knew I just wanted to graduate and move on with life.

After I dropped off Alice and Edward I decided to go by the drug store and get some Hot Cheetos and soda along with some other snacks since we were running low at home. When I finally got home I saw Jake's car in my driveway. I pulled in next to him and looked into his car. He was lying across the front bench of his pickup.

I banged on his window which made him jump. I would have laughed but I was pissed at him. He was being such a jerk. Not even bothering to come find me at orientation. He didn't really care. He lied…again.

I walked to the front door and Jake followed me. I went inside and first put all my groceries away and then put my backpack upstairs. Jake just stood by the front door not saying anything.

"What do you want Jake?" I said coming back downstairs.

"I wanted to know your decision." He said.

"Oh, NOW you want to know? NOW you care?" I said angrily.

"I have always cared, Bella. What are you talking about?" He looked confused.

"I was going to tell you my decision at orientation today but you didn't even try to find me. I figured you didn't care enough to know. You were too busy with your football buddies." I glared at him.

"Bella, no. I DO care. I just thought you would want some space. I didn't know how you were feeling so I was trying to give you some space in case you weren't ready to talk to me yet. I'm sorry Bella." Jake looked sincere.

"Oh…" I looked away, embarrassed. This was my mistake. He really didn't do anything wrong.

"Look, don't feel bad…I understand how you felt. Let's just forget about it. It was just a silly misunderstanding." Jake said coming over to give me a hug.

"I'm sorry." I said into his chest.

"No worries Bella." Jake kissed my head and walked us to the couch.

We sat down and just stayed silent for a few minutes but I could feel Jake's anticipation.

"So I decided…"I started off.

"What?" Jake urged me to continue.

"I'm going to give you another chance. I want to make it work." I looked him straight in the eye.

"Really Bells? That's great!! I'm so happy. Thank you thank you thank you!!" He was really happy.

"Jake, you have to understand though that this is hard for me. You have really hurt me the past couple months and I don't trust you very much right now. You're really going to have to change things around if things are going to work between us." I said seriously.

"I know Bella. I'm so sorry for ever becoming this jerk that I am. I won't let you down this time though. I promise." He looks directly into my eyes. It's so hard to believe him though.

"Okay…I'm counting on that." I say with a small smile.

Jake kisses me on the cheek and holds me tight. I really do like being with him…a lot. But only when he is the loveable Jacob that I have known since forever.

Jake and I sat and talked for awhile and then we decided to watch a movie. After the movie we just hung out and did random things. He was so sweet and amazing when he wanted to be. Eventually Jake said that he needed to be getting home. So we said our goodbyes and I watched Jake drive away.

I walked upstairs and looked at my clock. It was only 6. My dad would probably be home soon so I needed to figure out something to make for dinner.

I looked out the window at the perfect California weather. I decided I would take a walk on the beach tonight….maybe I would invite Alice and Rose over too.

I was gathering things for dinner as my dad walked in the door.

"Bella! I'm home!" My dad yelled.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I called back.

My dad walked into the kitchen with three boxes of pizza.

"Whoa…hungry?" I asked. My dad chuckled.

"No, we had a meeting at the station today and pizza was delivered. There was a ton of leftovers so I grabbed some. I figure we can put the leftovers in the fridge." He said.

"Oh okay. I was actually just about to start making dinner but now I guess I don't have to." I was actually relieved. I didn't feel like making anything and on top of it I had no idea what to make.

We ate dinner and then my dad went to the living room and turned on the TV. I went upstairs and grabbed my phone. I texted Alice and Rose to see if they wanted to come over tonight for a sleepover. Alice said she would be here in 15 minutes and Rose said she couldn't make it because she had a dinner date with Emmett tonight and then she had orientation in the morning at the community college.

I ran down the stairs and let my dad know Alice would be arriving shortly for a sleepover. My dad loves Alice and Rose and has no problem with last minute sleepovers. It happens a lot with us. He is used to it.

Once Alice got to my house we went upstairs and put her sleepover stuff in my room. We decided to take a walk on the beach and watch the sunset. We changed into some bathing suits just in case and put on shorts and jackets over top of them. We put our sunglasses on top of our heads and grabbed a soda on the way out the door.

"So you didn't talk to Jake today?" Alice asked as we took the first steps into the sand that was still warm from the day in the sun.

"Not at orientation. But he was waiting for me at my house afterwards. I talked to him then and afterwards we hung out for a few hours." I said.

"So was he happy with your decision?"

"Of course he was. But that doesn't mean he is really gonna change. It's all about waiting and watching now. Seeing how he is going to turn out." I said staring out into the sunset as we walked.

"So you don't think he is going to change?" Alice asked me.

"I honestly don't know. I don't doubt that he CAN change. I just don't know if he really WANTS to. Like…I don't know if he will commit to it. You know?" I said turning my gaze back to Alice for a quick second and then looking back to the sunset.

"Yeah I get it. Well how was he today when you guys were hanging out?" Alice climbed up on some rocks on the base of one of the cliffs that overlooked the beach. I followed her and we both sat down, partly facing each other and partly facing the sunset.

"He was great….just like he used to be. He was kind and polite and not conceited or big headed or anything. He didn't even ever try to kiss me on the lips. He kind of must have sensed that I didn't really want that after all that's happened. He just kissed me on the cheeks and my head. He was really caring. I don't know understand why he can't be like that ALL the time. That's who he is. THAT'S the REAL Jake……not the wanna-be, player, jocked up attitudinal problems Jake. That's not him at all." I said staring down at my soda like the answers I was looking for were hidden somewhere deep inside it.

Alice laughed a little at my fumbling words and I cracked a smile too.

"You're right. He isn't that guy that he pretends to be at school. He doesn't need to be either. I know he does it 'cause he wants to fit in with the football guys. But…you know…a part of me thinks that they would like him just the way he is. They would like the REAL him." Alice said thoughtfully.

I think she was right. They probably would like him because he is still a funny, tough, sporty, awesome guy. I have never met a single person that didn't like Jake. Well…at least not until he changed.

"I agree, Alice, I agree." I said.

We both watched the sun set and after a block of silence moved on to lighter subjects. After it was nearly completely dark, we walked back to my house and changed into some pj's and went downstairs to watch a movie. We warmed up some leftover pizza and pigged out on the chips I had bought earlier in the day.

We went to bed around 3. I couldn't sleep though. I just lay in my bed staring out the window and thinking. I thought mostly about Jake. The way he was when he wasn't trying to be a jock. I really really liked that guy. He was amazing and wonderful. He really was the boy every girl dreamed about. Why did he have to change?

I started to drift off and the last thoughts I had was that maybe the reason this hurt so bad was because he was not just my boyfriend of almost a year, but he had been my best friend for so much longer. And the very last thought I had scared me a lot…

I think I'm falling in love with him.

**A/N: Chapter 3 ladies and gentlemen. I wanted to get it up last night. But my computer had some issues and my dad had to fix it. Ssooo I got it back though and was able to finish it today and post tonight. :) I hope I didn't make any mistakes like the whole school mistake this time. But let me know if I did. REVIEW please. I want to know what you guys think. Please (insert puppy dog face here.) **

**Oh Andi, I clarified the whole school mistake already, and her feelings about Edward are there, but they aren't really talked about because she is too preoccupied with Jake. Plus she knows that she and Edward are only friends like they always have been. (or so she thinks ;)) haha okay bye. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**A/N: WOW! Thank you guys so much for all the reviews. I got quite a few reviews and story alerts and stuff just within the first day of chapter 3 being posted. Thank you guys. :) it made me happy. Here is chapter 4….I am going to do a little bit of Edward's point of view. I just want to try it. I probably won't do a lot of it cause I'm a little afraid to haha. I know that sounds dumb but I don't really know how to get into Edward's head as well as Bella's. so I'm just gonna try it for now and depending on how things go then I might do more. Okay…that's it…go read. :) :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight.**

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Epov

Bella. She is all I can think about. She is all I have ever thought about. I realized my feelings for her a long time ago. I didn't want to rush things though. We were so happy together being just best friends. I wanted to ask her out in 8th grade because I figured that we were at a reasonable age. But I chickened out. Then the next year she was together with Jacob.

Now he has broken her heart. I hate seeing her this way. She doesn't deserve it. She is nothing short of spectacular and amazing and she should be treated as such. Jacob, he doesn't seem to get that.

I silently hoped to myself that maybe things would be over between them and after Bella was completely ready, I would ask her to be mine. I know that's so selfish of me. And plus, who am I to think that I'm good enough for such a wonderful woman? But I want to try. I want to give her the world.

So when she talked to me about Jake, I told her the truth. She deserves more than what Jake is giving her. But there was no way I could tell her my feelings then. She was already having a lot of trouble with dealing with Jake and she didn't need anything else to cloud her mind. I didn't want her to have to feel as if she needed to choose between us.

I can't say it didn't hurt when she told me her decision. It was like a stab to the heart. It hurt to see them together all the time. To see Jake hurt her time after time these past couple months has really killed me. I hate seeing Bella hurt and broken. I sometimes wish she would give me a chance. I would do everything in my power to make her happy. Everything and Anything.

I wish I could just have one chance. Just ONE.

I stared up at my ceiling thinking about all of this. My room was dark except for the moonlight streaming through the large windows in my room. Usually I close the curtains…but not tonight…I liked being able to look outside for miles at night sometimes…..i loved seeing the city at night. It was beautiful.

In California the cities, especially big ones, are always busy. Even at night. Looking over them from room it just looked like….chaos. Complete chaos. But it was beautiful. Beautiful chaos.

Sometimes that how my life feels. It's chaotic and crazy and busy as hell….but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love it.

So while I observed the city at 2:00 a.m. my mind drifted from subject to subject but always coming back to Bella, as it often did. She was amazing and incredible and one of the most important people in my life, if not THE most important person.

I wonder if she thinks about me a lot or even at all.

She is my best friend. She always will be. But maybe…maybe I want her to be more.

Maybe….maybe...I'm falling in love with my best friend.

Bpov

The next morning Alice and I woke up around 11:00. I guess it was good that we slept in after staying up so late because we had practice today. We laid in bed mumbling about random things until we were awake enough to actually pull ourselves from the comfort of my bed and downstairs for some food.

We made pancakes together. And made a huge mess with the batter of course. It was tradition pretty much to trash the kitchen while making food. We liked food fights, food art, food origami, everything. And we cleaned it up of course. So it didn't really matter if we made a mess as long as we cleaned it up.

My dad had already left for work and left a note letting me know he had to work about an hour late tonight. He was a lawyer and had a big case to deal with. On top of that he was a tad bit of a workaholic. Not terribly bad but he definitely was dedicated to his job.

After our pancake adventures Alice suggested we go lie around on the beach for an hour or so before it was time for gym. We threw on some mismatching bikinis and some shorts. We grabbed a couple towels and threw our stuff into one bag along with some sunscreen…sun burns SUCK.

When we got to our normal spot at the lifeguard tower we decided to change things up a bit since it was only us two and walked a little further down the beach before setting up our spot.

We mostly just laid around and chilled since we were feeling kinda tired and lazy after having such a late night.

"So how are you feeling about the Jake thing today?" Alice randomly asked.

"Uumm…well…okay I guess. I mean I won't really know for sure if I made a good decision for a while."I said turning my head to face her.

"Yeah that's true. But do you FEEL good about your decision right now?"Alice sat up and started putting on some more sunscreen.

" I think I made a good choice. I mean I think he deserves another chance. But I'm also glad I put a deadline on it. That way I won't be dragging things out and expecting him to make a change if it will never happen. A month is plenty of time but not too much time. I'm happy with what I decided." I said sitting up and taking the sunscreen bottle from next to Alice. I should probably put more on so I don't burn.

"WAIT! You didn't tell him about your little deadline did you?" Alice froze and stared at me.

"No, of course not." Was she crazy? I wouldn't do that.

"Good. That would have seemed a little mean to him probably since you guys have been together for nearly a year. It just….isn't good relationship etiquette I guess. But what the hell do I know anyway? It just seems wrong to tell him that." Alice rambled.

"I know I know. I get it….I feel the same way. That's why I didn't tell him. Plus I was also afraid that if I told him, he would always keep that little piece of info in the back of his brain and play nice for the month and then as soon as I decide to take him back for good then he would go back to being a jerk. I don't wanna play any games." I said seriously.

"True. He probably would do that too."Alice said laying back down.

I looked down at the sand for a second. I was a little saddened by her comment. I mean I knew it was completely true…but…I think that's why it's so sad to me. The old Jake would never play me, or anyone else, like that. He really has changed. And I don't think the old him is coming back…

Epov

"Hey Eddie. Get up…let's do something before gym." Jasper's voice drifted into my dream and then I felt a heavy weight on top of me.

I woke up gasping for air and tried to look at whatever was on top of my back. I saw jaspers legs hanging off the side of my bed.

"Jasper…uugghhh….I can't….ggahh….pahhh….breatthhh." I gasped and coughed.

Jasper laughed at me. "There you are sleepy head. Good morning sunshine." Jasper said in a goofy face with a stupid grin on his face.

"JASPER!" I tried to yell…but it wasn't very loud because I couldn't get enough air into my lungs.

Finally Jasper stood up and I took several deep breaths. I rubbed the sleepiness from my eyes and looked at my clock. It was nearly 11:00 a.m.

"Jasper come on! You're such a jerk. Damn….I wanted to sleep in too." I was mad that he woke me up and even more mad that he sat on top of me to do it.

"SLEEP IN? It's ELEVEN! You DID sleep in stupid." Jasper stared at me with a shocked look.

"Yeah it's eleven. And it's also summer. I should be able to sleep til freaking two if I want to without my dumb friends coming in and cutting off my oxygen supply, thank you very much." I said pulling the covers up and snuggling back into my bed.

Jasper walked over to my balcony windows and shoved the curtains open letting in the harsh sunlight.

I pulled the covers over my head. "I hate you Jasper." I said, my voice muffled from under the blankets.

"Aaaawww…Eddie. You're such a kind human being. I love you too." Jasper said mockingly.

Then I heard Jasper fast footsteps and tensed. He jumped up in the air and landed right on top of me and hugging me.

I pulled the blankets off my face and struggled to push Jasper off of me.

"I love you Eddiepoo." Jasper said smiling at me. I glared back.

"Can you please get your gayness off of my bed and take it somewhere else? Go smother Emmett." I said pushing him off the bed.

Jasper sat on the floor and pouted.

"Someone has their tightie whities in knot. Be nice Eddie." Jasper whined.

"Stop calling me Eddie. Gosh, it's so annoying." I said rolling my eyes and sitting up.

I rubbed my hands over my face and squinted into the bright sun shining through my balcony door windows.

It was gonna be a nice day today. The weather was awesome.

"Hey man, seriously. Get up and get dressed. Let's go hang out with Emmett and do something fun before we have to go to workout." Jasper said standing up and straightening out his clother.

"Ugh, gym. Yeah. I wish we cud take the day off. I'm not in a workout mood today." I said getting out of bed and walking over to my dresser.

"Yeah. But it will be fine. Let's just make use of the time we got before we have to leave."Jasper said, staring out the window.

"What are we doing?" I asked leaning on my dresser.

""Well, we could go to the beach. It's pretty sweet weather today and from up here in your room the waves look pretty nice. Surfing?" He said turning to face me.

"Hhhmmm." I hummed. I walked over to the balcony and opened the doors. I stepped into the sunlight and felt it warm my skin.

"Dude…you realize your still only wearing boxers right?" Jasper laughed.

"Yeah. I know. But we are on the third floor. Not many people look all the way up here. And if they do…then let them enjoy the view. I'm not embarrassed." I smiled back at Jasper.

"Cocky. Gosh." Jasper mumbled behind me.

"ANYWAYS!" I interrupted, pretending not to hear his last comment. "Today is a surfing day. Let's do it. The waves look good."

"Okay cool. I'm gonna head home and change then. Meet you down by the lifeguard tower." Jasper yelled starting down the stairs.

I lived about a block away from the beach. Unlike Bella who was lucky enough to live just steps away. I lived close, but not close enough to be able to walk there when I have to carry snacks, a surfboard, an umbrella and all my other crap with me.

I went back into my room and dug out my favorite pair of swim trunks which have blue and white designs along with green hibiscus flowers on them. I threw on a blue fox shirt and my flip flops. I also grabbed my black ray bans. I threw my wallet, ipod and anything else I needed into my black Jansport backpack.

I ran downstairs and found my parents in the kitchen.

"Surfing today, Son?" My dad asked me.

I threw some snacks and drinks into my bag and grabbed my keys off the key rack.

"Yup. The weather is nice and the waves are good. Jasper is coming too. Emmett has orientation at the college though, so he can't come." I said.

"Alright. See you later. Don't be late for gym" My dad called after me and my mom yelled her own goodbye.

"I won't. Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" I darted into the garage and unlocked my Volvo.

I put my bag in the passenger seat and walked over to the wall where my surfboard hung. I put that carefully into the back of my car and grabbed my wetsuit and laid it on top of my board. I double checked that I had everything and then jumped into the driver's seat. I put on my Ray Bans and back carefully out of the garage and made my way to the beach.

I got to the lifeguard tower and saw that Jasper hadn't gotten here yet. So I started to set up my stuff. Jasper got to the beach a couple minutes later.

We finished setting up and then surveyed the beach to see if any of our friends were there. I knew Alice was over at Bella's today since they had a sleepover last night but I figured they weren't at the beach because they weren't by the lifeguard tower which is our usual spot. We still looked around to see if anyone else from school or something was here….but we didn't see anyone.

So we put on our wetsuits and grabbed our boards. We headed out into the water which was the perfect temperature for the warm day.

We spent awhile surfing and then decided to go eat some snacks. We had drifted further and further down the beach as we surfed. So once we were back on shore we had to walk back up the beach to our spot.

As we made our way up the beach, we talked about our schedules for next year. Jasper was talking about how much work he would have. I was looking around and taking in everything that was going on around the beach while he talked. I glanced over to where some people were sitting when I thought I noticed Alice. I looked back and realized that it was Alice, so I figured Bella had to be there too. I looked again and finally saw Bella who partially hidden behind some random guy that was with some friends a few feet in front of them.

"Hey Jazz. Look, Bella and Alice are here." I said lightly tapping Jasper's arm.

"Oh yeah. Let's go say hi." Jasper replied. I silently thanked him. Any chance to see Bella I can get is great.

We ran up to them and I noticed they had just started packing their stuff up.

"Oh hey Edward, Jasper." Alice said as she put her arms up to give Jasper a hug and kiss from her place on the ground.

Bella had her back to us. Once she heard Alice greet us she spun around, blushing. I love when she blushes.

"Oh..um. Hey guys. Surfing I see." Bella started off nervously but quickly recovered.

"Yeah. Just finished actually…we were gonna go get some snacks now." I informed them.

"Oh okay cool. We were just cleaning up and then we were gonna back to Bella's house and grab some food and be lazy for a little while longer before gym time." Alice told us.

"Yeah that was basically our plan. Wanna car pool to gym today ladies?"Jasper asked them.

"I'll drive." Bella offered. She was so sweet.

"Okay sweet. Then we are gonna head back to Bella's and see you guys later." Alice said standing up.

We hugged the girls goodbye and then went over to where our stuff was so we could snack for awhile.

Once gym time rolled around, I was sitting in my living room waiting for Bella to get here. When she did, I was surprised to find her alone instead of with Alice and Jasper.

"Hey Bella. What happened to Alice and Jasper?" I asked

"Jasper came to my house right before I left and picked Alice up. Not sure why. I thought we were all gonna carpool. Oh well." She answered.

"Hmmm…weird."I mumbled. Then I got into the car and we made our way to gym.

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**A/N: Kay…this chapter is TERRIBLE. I guess it's kind of like a transition chapter…like fluffiness just to fill in space haha. Didn't mean for it to be that kind of a chapter…but it just kinda happened. Oh well. I will make the next one better. Also, im SOOOO sorry for taking FOREVER to update. But it's summer now…I will have more time. But even so…I get writers block a lot and I don't always feel like writing. So no promises on how often I will update. Sorry :( Anyways…..outfits on profile….uumm…yeah. that's about it. Don't really expect you to review this chapter cuz it's bad. But you can if you want…I still appreciate it. And if you hav any questions…feel free to ask them. :) :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Okayyy….let's see if I can actually write a good chapter haha. I know WHAT I want to write I just don't know HOW to write it. It's frustrating. Thanks for all youre story favorites and reviews. I will try to actually prove myself worthy of them haha. Anyway….let's do this. :) :)**

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**Chapter 5**

BPOV

The ride to gym was filled with casual talk and loud obnoxious singing. That's what Edward and I do best…of course. But, once we arrived at gym, things got serious.

I had just parked the car and turned down the music. I reached for my door handle when Edward stopped me.

"Bella, wait. We are almost 20 minutes early. Are you okay after yesterday? I know Jake didn't talk to you at orientation and I wanted to make sure you were alright after you got home. You pretty upset when you were still with me and Alice." He stared at me waiting for confirmation that I was in fact okay.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts and explain to Edward what happened. After a minute or two of silence and long sigh from me, I finally answered.

"Yeah, Edward. I'm good. After I dropped you guys off at your house I went to the store and got some things then went home only to find Jake in my driveway. We went inside and talked for awhile. Turns out he didn't intentionally ignore me at orientation. He just thought I would want some more space and he didn't want to rush me or anything like that. So after he explained that to me, we sat down and I told him my decision and explained the conditions and how thin of a chance he has got to make this work." I explained.

I didn't want to look Edward in the eye. He had been nothing but helpful through this entire Jake ordeal. But I knew he didn't like the way things were going between me and Jake. And even though he said he just wanted me to be happy, I knew he didn't like that I was still with Jake after he had hurt me so much. Edward would rather me find someone better, but he knew how much I loved Jake and how much we had been through together. He knew how hard this situation was for me.

"Well Bella," Edward sighed, then looked out the window then back to me, "you know I only want you to be happy. I know you love Jake. But really quick, let's just…let's play devil's advocate. That alright?" He asked.

I knew where this was going but decided to let it happen anyway. It could only help me in my further decisions if I really thought through everything. Edward's help was also never rejected by me. He seemed to always know best and was very smart about handling different situations.

"Yeah it's fine. I need to see different sides of this situation anyways. It can only help." I spoke my thoughts.

"Okay…well. What if Jake doesn't change? I mean he says he is going to. But is he really? And are you going to keep giving him chances and keep defending him and making excuses for him? What is realistically going to happen here?" He said seriously.

He was right….completely right. I WAS always defending Jake…always finding a reason to excuse his jackass behavior. I mean I knew he treated me bad. It wasn't like I thought he treated me great and other people were psycho. But I was always coming up with reasons WHY he was treating me bad when really, there was only ONE reason. He was an ass and a horrible boyfriend that I shouldn't be dealing with.

"You…are so right Edward. I'm always coming up with excuses for him. His life is crazy, he is growing up, this is just a phase, he will get through it. But really, he won't. This attitude of his is becoming a habit and will only get worse. More than likely anyway. He is just mean, and there is NO reason WHY he should be treating me like this." I said feeling empowered.

"See Bella? You get it now. There isn't any reason good enough in the world for Jake to treat you this way. NO REASON. So honestly now…is this REALLY the last chance he has got? Or are you gonna give him more after the month is up?" He looked at me intensely.

"I DO get it now. And I KNOW there isn't a good reason for his behavior. Honestly…before….as in like, before THIS talk…I probably would have given him another chance or two or twenty if he messed this on up. But NOW I really feel differently. And I WILL NOT be giving him extra chances. This is his last one. For sure." I was very sure of myself now. It was a good feeling.

"Good Bella. I'm so incredibly happy to hear that. You have no idea." Edward said with a smile.

I think I had SOME idea, considering how happy I was myself.

"But one thing Edward. I need your help. If you're willing to help me that is." I didn't want him to feel he HAD to help me.

"Bella…you know I would do anything for you." He said it serenely but then his expression changed to one I couldn't quite decipher. Maybe…embarrassment? Why?

"Well…okay. I need you to keep my head in the right place. I DON'T want to keep making the same mistakes with Jake. If you hear me getting off track in any way, slap me or something and tell me to get it together. That includes if I start making excuses for him, giving and/or talking about giving him more chances, defending him, etc. Be tough with me. I need it." I looked him directly in the eye the entire time I spoke so he would understand how serious I was being.

"Bella, you can absolutely count on me to do that. I would have probably done it anyway. I'm tired of watching him hurt you repeatedly and watching you just take it. I'm DONE. You DON'T need him as much as you think you do. Especially if THIS is the way he is treating you." He said equally as serious.

"I'm done too Edward. And you're right, I DON'T need him. Thank you for helping me realize that." I said gratefully.

"Anytime Bells. You're my best friend. I care about you too much to keep letting you get hurt." Edward was so cheesy sometimes…that's why I loved him.

"Good. Cause I care a lot about you too. Now let's get in before we are late. We've only got 5 minutes before class starts." I said lightly punching his arm.

We grabbed our stuff and walked into the gym. Alice and Jasper were laying on a mat, talking with some other people from gym. Rose and Emmett weren't there though. I figured it had something to do with them having orientation at the college today.

Workout went as usual. Alice bugged me a little bit about my car ride with Edward. She wanted to know if I told him about Jake and I said yes and briefly went through our conversation. I mentioned how Edward enlightened me with the reality of the situation with Jake. Alice was very happy to hear my new perspective on things.

Edward carpooled home with me again and Alice came too since it would be easier for Jasper because Alice and Edward were going to the same place.

When I dropped off, Alice got out right away with a quick goodbye, goodnight and see you tomorrow. Edward though, he lingered a bit. Which wasn't ENTIRELY unusual, but something about this time felt a little…different. For one thing, he wasn't saying anything…just looking at me.

"uuhh…sooo…thanks Edward. For talking with me today. And helping me realize that I need to be smarter and stop defending Jake. I feel a lot better now." I said awkwardly.

He just kept staring.

"Edwardddd." I said waving my hand in his face.

"Oh..yeah. Of course Bella. I'm happy to help. I'm glad you're seeing things clearer." He said, STILL staring.

"Me too. Umm….you okay? Do I have snot on my face or something?" I asked, genuinely curious as to why he was staring at me so much.

"No, no. Of course not. You're just…really beautiful Bella." He said softly.

Uuumm..whoa. That was weird. It wasn't the first time he had said I was beautiful. But it was the first time he had said it so randomly and in that…weird…almost dreamy like way. What a weirdo.

"Uh thanks. But I'm all sweaty and chalky and gross from gym. I can't be that attractive right now." I laughed.

Edward still just stared as a small smile creeped its way onto his face.

"You're always attractive Bella. Even now…perhaps more. You look very…tough…maybe even a little…sexy." He said breaking out into a full on grin now.

WHAT? My mind screamed at me. What the heck was up with Edward tonight?

"SEXY? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" I half-yelled.

"Calm down Bella. Jeeze. I'm not coming on to you or anything. Just stating a fact." Edward laughed.

I was still taken aback by his statement. Did he really think that?

"EDWARD QUIT FLIRTING AND GET YOUR BUTT IN THE HOUSE! I'M HUNGRY AND MOM WON'T LET US EAT TIL YOU'RE HERE!" Alice called from the front porch.

"SHUT UP I'M COMING!" Edward yelled back, making me laugh at the outburst between the siblings. Typical.

Was Edward flirting? He was huh? Nah…what's wrong with me? Edward wouldn't flirt with ME.

"You better go Edward. Don't want Alice to come out and attack you." I giggled. But I knew that there was a truth behind my words and I'm almost positive Edward did too. Alice was a feisty one and was sure as hell not afraid to come outside and royally beat Edward to a pulp if he continued to prevent her from eating.

"Nah, I can take her. No worries." Edward winked at me.

"Well even so, I need to get home and get my own dinner and take a shower to get all this sweatiness off me." I gestured to my disgustingly sticky arms.

Edward gave a heavy sigh. He seemed reluctant.

"Alright, I'll go. Let's meet up tomorrow though. We can go surfing." Edward smiled.

"Hhhmmm…alright. As long as I'm not meeting up with Jake tomorrow. I don't know what his plans for tomorrow are yet. But surfing definitely sounds great right now." I answered him.

Truth was, Jake had barely texted me at all today. Just a good morning text and a quick casual conversation about how we were both doing and that was it. And that was way earlier in the day. So I really didn't have a clue if he wanted to see me tomorrow at all.

"Okay Bells, just let me know. And remember, you don't need him. You are strong and beautiful and you never deserve to be hurt." Edward looked directly into my eyes.

"I know Edward. You helped me realize that. Thank you so much. You're amazing." I smiled at him.

"It's my job Bella. Have a good night. Sleep well and let me know plans for tomorrow." Edward smiled back at me and got out of the car.

"I will Edward. Have a good night too. Talk to you later." I said before Edward closed the door and then I drove home.

When I got home I found a note on the kitchen table from my dad saying he had to work late and came home just very quickly to grab some food and leave me a note. He also left me some cash in case I wanted to buy dinner since he knew I would be tired from gym. I decided to just make my own dinner though and save the money for right now.

I put my gym stuff in my room and checked my phone for any missed texts from Jake. I hoped he had texted me about hanging out tomorrow or maybe just wanting to talk for no reason. The way it used to be….

But surprise, surprise, there were none. I am not going to lie. I was disappointed. But I didn't let it get to me. I mean I had to kinda go slow with Jake, give him a TINY bit of slack. WAIT NO! STOP! DO NOT make excuses for him, don't defend him. If he wants you he has to show you, I told myself.

I remembered Edward's words, and I figured that if Jake wanted to hang out tomorrow then HE could make the effort to make it happen. If he didn't then I would be spending my day with Edward. Simple as that.

I threw my phone on my bed and then took a shower so that I would feel better. I hate being all full of sweat and chalk and yuckiness. BLEH.

After my shower I threw on my man pants and a comfy wife beater. I grabbed my phone and checked again for any messages….I guess I was kinda hoping Jake would text me. A part of me really wanted him to change because I remembered how he used to be and I loved that person. But another part of my screamed at me for thinking way, saying instead that Jake had turned into a jerk and wasn't worth my time. I needed to move on and find a guy that would treat me right. It was a tough fight.

I bounced, literally bounced, down the stairs, just for the heck of it. Then I went to the kitchen and tried to decide what I wanted to eat. After looking around for a minute I decided I wasn't very hungry and instead…I wanted ICE CREAM. I grabbed a carton that was almost empty and a spoon and walked to the living room couch.

As I ate my ice cream, I watched the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, one of my favorite shows. About half way through the second episode I was watching, my phone vibrated. I looked and saw that Edward had texted me.  
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__**Hey Bells. Just wanted to make sure you got home okay. :) **_

See? Why couldn't Jake do that? I loved that Edward did though. I smiled to myself before texting back.

_**Hey Edward. I'm good. Thank you for checking on me :) :) :) :)**_

I laid my phone on my lap and continued eating and watching Fresh Prince while I waited for Edward's reply.

_**No problem Bells…it's my job. Hear from Jacob at all?**_

There he said it again… "it's my job." Why did Edward think that? It wasn't his "job." Sure I liked that he checked to make sure I was safe and I liked that he cared about me and treated me so sweetly. But technically it wasn't his job. It was no one's really. But if it WAS someone's job, out of everyone, it would be Jake's. Or well….it SHOULD be. But he obviously wasn't excelling at this particular job.

_**It's not technically your job Edward. It's not anyone's job….except for maybe Jake's. And no…I have not heard from him since this morning.**_

My phone vibrated a couple minutes later.

_**Of course it's my job…..i'm your best friend. And if it IS Jake's job, he obviously isn't doing it. He hasn't even texted you since this morning. I mean come on. Really?**_

I could see what he meant. But it wasn't like Jake was REQUIRED to text me. I mean sure…he is my boyfriend and usually boyfriends check on you throughout the day to see how you're doing. At least that ones that care do. But I guess Jake didn't really care huh? That would have to change if he wanted to stay with me.

_**I know I know. If he really cared then he would text me or call me or SOMETHING. But I mean…he is really required to. He DOES have a life outside of me. He can't always JUST be focused on me. You know?**_

I didn't expect Jake to ALWAYS be texting me. But a simple "how was gym?" or "did you get to and from gym safely?" or "how was your day?" or even just a goodnight message would be nice.

_**Bella…don't make excuses for him, remember? Yes…he has a life outside of you…but a simple text only takes what…30 seconds or less? Seriously…he could at least just see how you were doing. **_

GAH! Edward…stop being right.

_**I KNOW! But I just…ggrr…I'm not gonna let it upset me. I am giving him this chance…he can take it or leave it. Anyways…I guess we are hanging out tomorrow since Jake doesn't seem to be making any plans with me.**_

Right now I actually feel like hanging out with Edward more than I feel like hanging out with Jake.

_**Okey dokey. Sounds good. Surfing yeah?**_

Definitely surfing.

_**Hellz yeah. Waves are supposed to be good tomorrow too. Hopefully that's turns out to be true. :) :)**_

Surfing would be good for me. Helps me escape drama and pressure and other such things that life brings about.

_**Okay I'm down. I'm sorry about Jake, Bells. I know you love him. And it really sucks that things are turning out this way.**_

It DID suck.

_**It's alright Edward. I mean it's obviously NOT okay what Jake is doing. But I will be fine one way or another. I can only come out of this stronger…no matter what happens.**_

That would be my outlook on this. It can only make me stronger.

_**Good Bells. That's good thinking. I am gonna go to bed. Gym was exhausting. Let me know if our plans for tomorrow change at all. I will text you when I wake up tomorrow. Goodnight. Sleep well. :) :)**_

I should probably get some sleep too. Gym was tough today for the girls as well as the guys.

_**I will Edward, but I don't foresee any changes in plans unless a miracle happens and Jake decides to make an effort with me. Have a goodnight. Sweet dreams Edward.**_

By this point, I had finished my ice cream and Fresh Prince was over and some retarded infomercial was on T.V. I turned it off and walked to the kitchen to throw away the empty ice cream carton. I made sure all the doors were locked as well as the windows and then walked up stairs to my room.

When I got up to my room, I didn't go to bed right away. I spent a little time looking out my window at the way the moon made the ocean water glitter. I thought about things. About Jake and Edward and the differences between the two. Last night, when Alice slept over, the last thought I had was that maybe I was falling for Edward.

I thought about that some more. I mean Edward was sweet and funny and always took great care of me. We got along perfectly. But we were just best friends. That's what we always have been. I think that's what we're meant to be. And plus, I don't think Edward would want to be more.

I went back and forth in my head for a long time, weighing pros and cons of Jake and Edward, mulling over whether Edward would ever even possibly like me as more than a friend, if Jake would really change, if Jake really wanted me for me or just wanted me for the sake of having a girlfriend. My mind was racing.

Eventually I slowed my though process down and looked over at my clock. It was nearly 1. My dad should have been home around 12, I didn't even notice him come in. But now that I wasn't lost in my own brain I could hear him snoring.

I got up from my place at my window and walked the few short steps to my bed. I fell asleep almost instantly.

That night, I dreamt of Edward. Of us being together. As a couple. Boyfriend and Girlfriend. And even though it was only a dream, it was amazing. I had the best feeling in that dream and that feeling remained with me when I woke up the next morning. In fact, when I first woke up, I was breathless. The way Edward made me feel and the thing she said to me and the way he treated me was wonderful. I felt so…so…happy…and….in…in love.

But of course, it was just a dream. I couldn't let myself get carried away with something that wasn't even real in the slightest.

Unless…this was a sign...

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**A/N: WOOHOO! This actually was kind of easy to write. By that I mean, I didn't get crap loads of writers block, only a few short episodes. :) :) that makes me happy. I hope this chapter is better than the last one. Things are still moving a little slow. But it will get going. I promise….i just need to get things started. Hopefully people are still enjoying the story though. This time im asking you to PLEASE review. Even if you have negative criticism. Of course, I don't want you to be mean, be respectful but just tell me how I could do better. I just want to know what you guys REALLY HONESTLY think. THANKY YOU :) :)**


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